being persuaded to come back

5913 miles is a long way to go just to keep thinking about the same problem.

More than 1000 emails tell me you're still thinking about it, too.

Hi Dana,
How are your travels on the other side of the globe? I hope you're enjoying your vacation... but it must be hard knowing in the back of your mind what kind of a situation things are in back at home. (That's why you're checking your e-mail, isn't it?)

True.

Dana,
You can't run… and we can't hide. It knows our names, our addresses, it's going to reach out and touch us and guess what happens then? You'll have to go further than China to get away from this one, Dana. When it metastasizes, we're *all* going to get a good long look at it.
There's hope here. There's someone trying to help here. But she's alone and afraid, she knows what's going on but, my dear, she's only going to talk to *you*. Aren't you glad? The Princess wants you in her court. The Queen wants you dead. You're our ace in the hole. One more draw and we get a royal flush.

I hear you.

Dana,
The tables have turned. Now, we need *your* help. If this thing spreads ...who knows what havoc may erupt. And yikes!... It's got my email address... a possible window into my computer ??!?!... and into *all* the computers of people who only wanted to help you. Help us, Dana...... I hope you're reading this.

I'm reading it.

I was scared but if we're in it together, well… I'd rather be scared in company.

So I'm back in: as cuddly as the cat and as charming as the butterfly, from a hostel in Beijing.

In the meantime I will check in as often as I can and wait the nerve-wracking, tedious wait with you until whatever is going to begin on the 24th begins.

P.S. Keeping things in perspective is good, lol. Thank you, "Dan".